世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第29章
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yself on the lev el plateau； an unenclosed spot overgrown with heather and scattered furze bushes ； with clumps of fir and birch trees。 before me and on either hand at this elev ation a vast extent of country was disclosed。 the surface was everywhere broken； but there was no break in the wonderful greenness； which the recent rain had in tensified。 there is too much green； to my thinking； with too much uniformity in its soft； bright tone； in south devon。 after gazing on such a landscape the brow n； harsh； scanty vegetation of the hilltop seemed all the more grateful。 the h eath was an oasis and a refuge； i rambled about in it until my feet and legs wer e wet； then i sat down to let them dry and altogether spent several agreeable ho urs at that spot； pleased at the thought that no human fellowcreature would in trude upon me。 feathered companions were； however； not wanting。 the crowing of c ock pheasants from the thicket beside the old road warned me that i was on prese rved grounds。 not too strictly preserved； however； for there was my old friend t he carrioncrow out foraging for his young。 he dropped down over the trees； swe pt past me； and was gone。 at this season； in the early summer； he may be easily distinguished； when flying； from his relation the rock。 when on the prowl the cr ow glides smoothly and rapidly through the air； often changing his direction； no w flying close to the surface； anon mounting high； but oftenest keeping nearly o n a level with the tree tops。 his gliding and curving motions are somewhat like those of the herringgull； but the wings in gliding are carried stiff and strai ght； the tips of the long flightfeathers showing a slight upward curve。 but th e greatest difference is in the way the head is carried。 the rook； like the hero n and stork； carries his beak pointing lancelike straight before him。 he knows his destination； and makes for it； he follows his nose； so to speak； turning ne ither to the right nor the left。 the foraging crow continually turns his head； g ulllike and harrierlike； from side to side； as if to search the ground thoro ughly or to concentrate his vision on some vaguely seen object。
not only the crow was there： a magpie chattered as i came from the brake； bu t refused to show himself； and a little later a jay screamed at me； as only a ja y can。 there are times when i am intensely in sympathy with the feeling expresse d in this earsplitting warning and execration； the startled solitary's outburst of uncontrolled rage at the abhorred sight of a fellowbeing in his woodland ha unt。
small birds were numerous at that spot； as if for them also its wildness and infertility had an attraction。 tits； warblers； pipits； finches； all were busy r anging from place to place； emitting their various notes now from the tree tops； then from near the ground； now close at hand； then far off； each change in the height； distance； and position of the singer giving the sound a different charac ter； so that the effect produced was one of infinite variety。 only the yellowh ammer remained constant in one spot； in one position； and the song at each repet ition was the same。 nevertheless this bird is not so monotonous a singer as he is reputed…
第1卷 第十一章
雾
乔治。斯莱思。斯特里特
乔治。斯莱思。斯特里特（1867—1936），英国作家，散文家，是一个写小品文的能手 。在本篇中，作者通过切身的体验，描述了他对世界闻名的雾都伦敦的感受。
无论它是美还是不美，一场伦敦大雾总是有值得大书特书的地方。它能给我们带来我们 每时每刻都需要的那种“变化”。最初，这个世界几乎是白茫茫的一片，然后，慢慢地一点 一点地清晰起来，这和我们平常所见完全不同。这时，就算是最愚蠢的人也不会察觉不到眼 前的景物起了变化。这种变化之大，绝不亚于从伦敦到格拉斯哥。又比如，回到家里，或来 到俱乐部，这种平凡单调的日常琐事，在雾天也几乎成为惊人的壮举，完成之后不免要深深 地松一口气，自幸安全脱险——这时人们至少得到一种不同寻常的新鲜之感。这时我们已经 不像是一个到俱乐部去玩的人，而像是一个航行遇险的海员在九死一生之际，终于得救，并 且受到一群以前非常淡漠而这时却非常激动的侍者们的热烈欢迎。的确，一场『迷』雾带给伦敦 人的变化非常之大，比起去里维埃拉避雾度假所带来的变化都要大。其次，雾还能使人的善 良之心和喜悦之情充分表现出来，这是伦敦人引以为荣的两大特点。当然，它也会把富人的 那种极度自私自利揭『露』出来。那些几乎是无忧无虑地活在世上的人，自然会因为这点小小不 便或痛哭流涕，或咒骂不已。但是为生计奔波的伦敦人，比如那些马车夫和汽车夫，比如你 和我，却会把我们那种欢快心情充分展现出来。某个星期一，我在海德公园拐角那个街区的 的一辆公共汽车顶端乘坐过半个小时，一路上与司机攀谈。人们往往对一个汽车司机感到失 望，因为他们认为他应该会说会骂，而他却没有这类长处。但是我们应该看到，这是个工作 非常辛苦但却又非常快乐的人，非常勤快，服务周到，笑口常开。他在自己的工作上是个行 家——这点在雾天最能突出——而他对工作的熟练程度很高，对于那种凭借经验，总以为从 事实际行业的人往往不是愚蠢就是冒失，因而就其绝大多数都不称职的人士来说，总是一件 快事吧。最后我离开他时，他的副手引我绕过车轮马蹄，一直把我送到人行道上，这时我有 一种感觉，觉得我的周围的确都是好人。上周日的晚上，我曾步行一英里回到我的寓所，一 路上，我每碰到一个人就向他问路。但是没有一个人给予粗鲁甚至简慢的回答：每个人都是 彬彬有礼，俏皮风趣，谈古论今，有说有笑。我们这个民族确实是个友好的民族，能体会这 一点，即使是遇上一次雾天，也是值得的。雾的另外一种乐趣，就如同我们听到某个百万富 翁摔断了腿时所感到的那种乐趣相差无几，只是在『性』质上比较温和比较冲淡而已。那种命运 特别好的人往往并不快乐，即使健康良好也不能把它驱除掉。在某个街区的一辆宽敞的布鲁 厄姆马车上坐着一位派头十足的老头，他口吐白沫，大发雷霆。看到这个情景，人们不禁会 想，在这件事上，命运总算暂时是公平的。
这些就是我们在一场伦敦的雾中所找到的一些乐趣。
fog
g。s。street
beauty or none； there is much to be said for a london fog。 it gives us all t hat “change〃 which we are always needing。 when our world is all but invisible； and growing visible bit by bit looks utterly different from its acomustomed self； the stupidest of us all can hardly fail to observe a change for our eyes at lea st as great as there would have been in going to glasgow。 when； arriving at one' s house or one's club； that monotonous diurnal incident seems an almost incredib le feat； acomcplished with profound relief and gratitude for a safe deliverance； one has at least an unacomustomed sensation。 one is not a man going into his clu b； but a mariner saved from shipwreck at the last gasp； to be greeted with emoti on by erst indifferent waiters。 yes； a fog gives londoners a more thorough chang e than going to the riviera to avoid it。 then it brings out the kindness and che erfulness； which are their prime claim to honour； into strong relief。 true； it a lso throws into relief the incomparable egoism of the prosperous among them。 peo ple with no serious cares or worries in the world of course bemoan and upbraid t his trifling inconvenience。 but the working； struggling londoners； cabmen and bu smen； you and i； display our indomitable goodhumour to advantage。 i stayed on top of a bus for half an hour in the block on monday at hyde park corner and tal ked with the driver。 people are often disappointed in a busdriver because they expect a wit and a pretty swearer。 they find neither； but they find an overwork ed man of extraordinary cheerfulness； responsive； ready to laugh。 he is master o f his business — a fact emphasised by the fog — to a degree refreshing to one whose experience of men professing some practical calling is that the great majo rity； some from mere stupidity； some from overhasty enthusiasm； are quite inco mpetent。 when finally i left him； his mate piloted me through wheels and horses to the pavement； and i felt i had been among folk who deserve to live。 on sunday night i walked a mile to my abode； and made a point of asking my whereabouts of every one i met。 not one churlish or even hurried answer： politeness； jokes； re miniscences； laughter。 we are a kindly people； and it is worth a fog to know it。 another pleasure of a fog is a mild but extended form of the pleasure we feel w hen we hear that a millionaire has broken his leg； the too fortunate are sufferi ng a discontent health cannot remove。 there was in that block a fat brougham co ntaining an importantlooking old man who foamed at the mouth； and one reflecte d that there was a temporary equality of fortunes。
such are the pleasures we may take in a london fog。
一撮黏土
亨利。凡。戴克
很久以前，在一条河边有这样一撮黏土。说起来它也不过是普普通通的黏土，质地粗糙 ；不过它对自己的价值却看得很高，它对自己在世界上所可能占有的地位具有奇特的想像， 认为只要能得到机会，自己的美德一定会被人们发现。
在这撮黏土的头顶，明媚的春光里，树木正在交头接耳地窃窃私语，讲述着当纤细的花 儿和树叶开始绽放、林中一片澄澈碧绿时，它们身上所闪耀的无尽光辉，那种景象就如无数 红绿宝石粉末所形成的彩云，轻轻地漂浮在大地之上。
花儿们看到这样的美景，非常惊喜，它们在春风的吹拂中探头欠身，相互祝贺：“姐妹 们，你们出落得多可爱啊，你们给白日增添了不少光辉。”
河水也为新力量的加入而感到高兴。它沉浸在水流重聚的喜悦之中，不断地用美好的音 调向河岸低语，倾诉着自己是如何挣脱冰雪的束缚，如何从积雪覆盖的群山奔流到这里，以 及它匆忙前往担负的重任——许多水车的轮子等着它去推动，巨大的船舶等着它去运送。
那撮黏土懵懵懂懂地在河床上等待着，不停地用各种远大理想来自
